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This blog is about gaming, but D&D is top on my list, from D&D 5e, Pathfinder to good old AD&D 1e (where my roots come from!). I'm an Evil DM, I have been for many years, to the point folks enjoy my games and style but fear things in game. Paranoia is great and fuels a lot of awesome roleplaying situations with characters in game. Have a question? Feel free to contact me for advice about 1e, 5e or Pathfinder - ASKTHEDM(@)THEEVILDM(.)COM

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Ask the Evil DM Question - Stop creating to impress, just do it for you!

A question was asked to me today (via email at the top) about writing up custom spells and the person was worried about if the spell already existed, not so much to save him time or work, but because he didn't want to be unoriginal in his spell idea.

I said to him to get more information, "if you have an idea in your head, why not just talk to your DM, work with him and make a custom spell to the way YOU like it?"

He then came back with, "well I don't want to have people spam me with, "its already been done"

So my issue here is, "what does it matter what others think?"

What does it matter if its "been done"?

Maybe your spell that you create is original because of how you word it or use it? Ever think about that?

No it kind of seems that everyone these days is only making shit to impress others and forgetting the games starts with you and your group and should end there.

Don't get me wrong, its really cool and fun to share things with other gamers and get feedback to see if they can help improve it or something.

BUT

You shouldn't be making things only to impress the mass population of gamers out there.

After chatting a little bit with this person, they decided to go with it and make up the spell.

He came back to me with his spell and while yes it had been done (somewhat) his take on it was really cool and I was very impressed on how he and his DM worded it and made it their own.

He asked that I not share the spell wanted to keep it unique to his game and was very happy for the advice I gave him and his DM.

I was happy to have helped!

It just seems more and more people are only worried about creating things to put online for display, instead of focusing on your game with your buddies.

Now I'm sure you're saying, "Well what about your blog, A-hole, isn't that the same thing?".

My answer to that (and the people that know me know what's coming) I simply don't give a fuck about what people think. I'll put up an idea and if its been done, I don't care, because my idea is tailored by me for my understanding and my fun.

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Couldn't agree more. Let's face it, everything has been done before in some way, shape or form. Instead of worrying about that, figure out if it'll be fun for you, fun for the group. That's ultimately the only thing that matters. I get it. There are plenty of people out there who will try to show off their knowledge by telling you how it was done before. You can find that spell in this book on this page. As you say, who cares?

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First I want to say, I think online gaming is a great tool for gaming and while its been around for a long time, in these last few years, playing on line has become so easy, its almost the same experience as sitting at table with your friends in person playing the game. DM's can post up their game, allow people to read up on the game and decide if they want to join based on the DM's rules.

Haven’t really updated in a while, been very busy with
life, the podcasts I am doing and actually gaming on a weekly basis.
I have a lot of things going on and coming down the pipe,
but something today I read online, really resonated with me, and it brewed in
my head while driving to work.

Something that has always bugged me in D&D and this dates back to the days of playing D&D in the '80s, but its more of a thing since the "MMO/video gamer generation" (let's go with that for now) has moved into playing D&D, was that all their stats have to be high, and anything less then having a +2 modifier on your stats was a "waste of time".

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What's this Blog about?Nothing is as it seems in my games, so feel free to show up in my game with your books and TRY to rules lawyer me, it will only result in another character soul taken. Remember you are the Dungeon Master and ANYTHING can be done as long as you can dream it up because you rule the game, not the other way around! IF the book doesn't list it, doesn't mean its not possible, think folks, you are the DM, do as you please, its your world! Over 1000+ character souls taken as of this date!